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Controlling Heat

When temperatures raise above 85 degrees F, most plants cannot successfully complete their respiration process in which they burn energy; However, photosynthesis, which is the production of plant energy, remains active and eventually the plant will overwork itself and die. Keeping temperatures low is a very important aspect to creating a good grow environment- it must not be overlooked, especially when using High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting, which produces heat, or when attempting to grow in the midst of an Arizona summer.

Here are a few tips that will keep you cool:

1. Fans. HID lighting creates heat in your grow space and it is very beneficial, and often neccessary, to remove this heat from your gardening environment. To understand ventilation concepts, check out our Air Flow Diagram. Inline fans also work well in conjunction with oscillating fans that provide a subtle breeze to the plant - Fans remove heat from the source as well as exchange air in the space. Fans are relatively inexspensive, consume very little energy, and have long warrantys. We have a large selection!

2. Silica. Add Silica to your plant's diet for greater resistance to heat and drought. This is especially important for hydroponics: silica is the second most common element in earth's soil. Silica supplements form a protective layer reducing transpiration through the plants outer cells.

3. Humidifier. Add a humidifier to your grow space. Or a bucket filled with water and an airstone or two hooked up to an air pump . Renember, your plants will thrive in 40-60% humidity, unless they are clones or seedlings, which require a bit more humidity.

4. Air Conditioning. If you have been through an Arizona summer gardening indoors, you most likely know the importance of having accessible AC vented directly into your grow area.

5. Ice Box. An efficient way to water-cool your entire grow room, Ice Boxes work in conjunction with an inline fan. Air from your indoor garden is pulled through the reflectors, and then passed through the ice box heat exchanger. Cold water is circulated through the heat exchanger, cooling the air before it exits right back into your gardening area. A chiller is nessessary and we carry a variety of sizes by Eco Plus: 1/4 HP minimum chiller size recommended per 1000 watts.